


Living on the edge, you can't help yourself from fallin'

by Aramirandme81



Series: One Word Elaborations And One Shots [14]
Category: The Almighty Johnsons
Genre: Blood, Brother Feels, Dubious Consent, Dysfunctional Family, I want to kick all of them, The Author Regrets Everything, The Author Regrets Nothing, Violence, You made me do this, except Anders and Ty
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-03-26
Updated: 2014-04-03
Packaged: 2018-01-17 02:30:33
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 9,542
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1370608
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Aramirandme81/pseuds/Aramirandme81
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>This is the followup to 'We All Fall Down.'</p><p>Gravity tucks at him at an increasing frequency and intensity and he mentally shrugs.<br/>‘Well, standing or sitting when the world crumbles makes little difference’, he supposes. So he lets himself relax and more or less gives in and let one of the most basic forces of nature do its thing.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Elenhin](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Elenhin/gifts).
  * Inspired by [We All Fall Down](https://archiveofourown.org/works/1259035) by [Aramirandme81](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Aramirandme81/pseuds/Aramirandme81). 



> I honestly truly thought I was done when I ended 'We All Fall Down'.  
> But you all asked so nicely so how could I refuse to see if there was more?  
> And lo there was.
> 
> Just remember that as hiegh as your expectations are, does not mean that I have wings that can fly that hiegh.  
> I still hope it's good enough though and don't let either you or me down.

 

Ty is in quite a bit of pain from his wound. And from Axl pressing down on it to keep the blood stemmed. Axl has huge hands and even before becoming Odin his youngest brother sometimes had a bit of trouble figuring out just how strong he is, so right now Ty is not so much worried about blood loss as he is of Axl cutting of circulation to his arm entirely.

 

Don’t get him wrong he appreciates what Axl is trying to do for him, he really does, but he’d kind of wish it had been one of the others back here with him.

 

Especially Anders.

 

Anders with his artists hand, smooth and soft yet strong, who’d always known just how to handle any cuts, bruises or other injuries when they were growing up, which was only logical sine Anders was the one most frequently sporting injuries. Mike might have been the one to stand up to their parents the most, when he still lived at home, Anders only really stepping in when Mike left, but he had always been the one you’d go to after to get treated and to forget just how crappy their lots in life were. Heck even Mike had gone to Anders for treatment sometimes, and that said a lot because Mike has always been too proud of being oldest and in charge.

 

Ty always thought that was one of the reasons Mike and Anders clashed. Mike wanting to be in charge and Anders wanting to be free to do what he wanted.

 

Just then they hit a bump in the road and Axl squeezes down harder.

 

“Ouch! You know Axl I’m pretty sure I won’t die if you let just a little blood reach my arm.” Ty says winching at the extra pain but his tone is not unkind, after all Axl is trying.

 

“Sorry.” Axl said and eased up his hold. “Better?”

 

“Much thanks.”

 

“No problem bro, just don’t die on me okay?” Axl said only half joking.

 

“Axl even if we didn’t have Michele waiting with Yggdrasil I’m hardly going to be dying from a graze to the shoulder. It’s painful yes but not lethal unless I don’t get it treated.”

 

Axl frowned.

 

“Yeah I guess, I just wished this would never have happened. Stupid Anders.” He bit out bitterly and from the front Mike could be heard humming a part agreement.

 

Ty looked up in confusion.

 

“How is this Anders fault?”

 

“How is it not? If Anders had just been more focused it wouldn’t have happened at all, he should have Bragi’ed them into not hurting you.” Axl said.

 

“But he did Axl. I was there when the call was made, I heard him tell them to leave me alone that they didn’t want to hurt me and that they shouldn’t think of double crossing you. It worked too, they were beating me pretty damn hard until that call. He must have been so drained after that. And it’s hardly his fault they sent other guys to do the drop than had answered the phone.”

 

“Yeah well, he should have thought to make sure it was the same guys.” Axl grouched out, feeling like he was under personal attack when Ty did not agree with his assessment of the situation.

 

“How the hell would he have done that Axl? He was hardly going to take over running the whole shady organisation was he? And certainly not over the phone.” Ty shook his head at his little brothers stubborn expression.

 

“I know better than anyone that Anders can be an arse and a dick, but come on man be reasonable. This was not Anders fault. I heard them talk and no way in hell would Anders ever be gambling with those amounts and certainly not in a club like the one I got a glimpse of when they lead me into the first place they kept me.” Ty said and send a questioning look into the rear view mirror catching Mikes eye.

 

Mike snorted dismissively but Ty persisted.

 

“Fine, yes I gambled and I’m bloody sorry I did when it got you into this mess. Won’t happen again I can tell you that.” Mike swore as he turned onto the paved street again.

 

“I’d appreciate it if you didn’t do a repeat yes. But I’m fine with you playing a few hands every now and again Mike, in fact Anders and I talked about it and we think it’s because you never indulge that you go over the top when you do finally cut lose. You should relax more. Let Ullr have some fun once in a while instead of locking him up so tight, who knows you might actually have fun too.” Ty suggested and, much to his regret, shrugged.

 

Mike only grunted a non verbal reply, his already wounded pride making him unwilling to take advice from his younger siblings, even if it might be good advice.

 

Olaf sat with a thoughtful look on his face as he’d listened to the conversation.

 

“You know they could be on to something there Mike.” He said as after it was clear Mike wasn’t going to comment.

 

“Oh not you too grandpa, I already said I won’t be doing it again.” Mike growled out and rolled his eyes in exasperation.

 

“Yeah yeah I heard you. But really it’s no good denying the nature of your god, that will only make you miserable. I mean look at Ty.”

 

“Hey! I’m not miserable.” Ty exclaimed then winced as Axl foolishly tried to reassure him by squeezing his shoulder, yes ‘that’ shoulder.

 

“No not right now you’re not, but you denied everything about Hod except for the ice carving and you were one miserable bastard almost all the time, except for when you were ice carving.” Olaf pointed out.

 

Ty had to concede that point.

 

“Yes, well why do you think I went through the whole de-goding procedure? It certainly wasn’t for the fun of it. But yeah Olaf is right Mike, going against Hod made me miserable, which is also why I think you shouldn’t cut off completely. Only instead of gambling you might want to stick to gaming or bingo or something like that. It’s much safer.”

 

“Not bingo.” Olaf said very gravely. “Never think of bingo as safe, those little old ladies are much scarier than you think.” The tall god said and looked as grave as he ever had.

 

Mike rolled his eyes and Axl snorted from the back seat.

 

“Okay grandpa, I’ll stay away from bingo as well.” Mike said and shook his head. ‘By the gods his family was fucked up.’

 

 

****

 

 

Anders doesn’t know how long he stands there waiting for time and nature to claim him.

 

The edge of his vision turns wobbly and for a second he thinks the ground has finally begun to crumble beneath him but it turns out it’s just the blood loss catching up to him making him unsteady on his feet.

 

Gravity tucks at him at an increasing frequency and intensity and he mentally shrugs.

 

‘Well, standing or sitting when the world crumbles makes little difference’, he supposes. So he lets himself relax and more or less gives in and let one of the most basic forces of nature do its thing.

 

The pain of his wounded side hitting the hard ground sent stars dancing across his vision and the darkness reached out for him. Just before he is pulled under he could have sworn he heard the sound of someone calling his name. He went under smiling, imagining or rather hoping it had been the sea calling him home.

 

 

*****

 

 

The rest of the drive was done in relative silence, with only Ty’s occasional wincing and Axl’s frequent apologies as a soundtrack.

 

Mike was concentrating on driving as fast and as safely as he could, fast so Ty didn’t have to suffer but not so fast they would risk being pulled over for speeding, and safely so they would get to the bar without further incident and more of them needing Michele’s powers.

 

That still left him plenty of brain power to think about Ty’s suggestion.

 

The more Mike thought about it, the more he couldn’t help but feel that maybe his brothers were on to something about this moderated use of powers. Not that he would let Ty know that and certainly not Anders! The little prick did not need the ego boost that would surely give him, he was inflated enough as it was in Mikes opinion.

 

Old habits died hard as they say, and as Mike thought of his brothers he looked in the rear view mirror to cheek on his brother’s.

 

Ty was paler than he’d been but not nearly as pale as he had when he was still Hod, Axl looked worried and confused and... oh yeah Anders wasn’t with them.

 

Mike adjusted the mirror a little to catch a glimpse of his brothers car, but the road behind them was empty.

 

Mike frowned a little then shrugged.

 

The road here was curvy and the terrain hilly, Anders car would pop up in the mirror any second now. Even if it didn’t then it wasn’t Mike’s concern. He had a brother here who needed his help and cared about others than himself, besides knowing Anders he had properly just been sulking at their words and fallen behind because of that. No Ty’s wound trumped Anders prissy mood any day. Heck everything trumped Anders’ prissy mood.

 

Thinking of the wound Mike found his phone and dialled Michele, to let her know she would be needed and they were only about ten minutes out now.

 

 

********

 

 

He swore as Anders collapsed before he could reach him.

 

He’d called the blonds name as he hurried towards him but Anders didn’t react other than to reach one hand out towards the sea that was slowly eating away at the cliff he was slumped upon.

 

Though to be fair the blond hadn’t seemed to take notice of anything, he’d been looking out over the ocean ever since the others had left him there.

 

He cursed again as he reached the blond and got his first up close look at him.

 

Seems his eyes hadn’t deceived him and the blond had taken a hit in the gun fight.

 

He’d seen everything from his spot further up the hills, really for the god of the hunt Ullr was pretty damn unobservant, not to have seen him or to have noticed that his brother were bleeding. Well he’d noticed that Tyrone was hit, but he’d failed to notice that Anders was too. Honestly he’d thought he himself had seen wrong when the Johnsons had just left Anders there, thinking that as much as they were idiots the Johnsons had always seemed like family mattered so he’d been quietly convincing himself that it must have been a trick of his eyes until he’d seen how the lone figure had swayed and in the end had collapsed.

 

Now that he was up close he couldn’t fathom how they could have missed it.

 

He knelt beside the unmoving figure and placed a hand on the pale throat.

 

Still alive.

 

He sighed and looked at the three corpses of the shady characters that had been left as silent witnesses to the dealings that had gone down.

 

He cast one last look at the unconscious god then he got up and jogged back towards where he had parked his car.

 

 

******

 

 

“There, and if none of the rest of you are hurt you’ll excuse me I have to go wash my hands now. Urgh I hate blood.” Michele said as she moved her hands away from Ty’s shoulder and when none of the others indicated they were hurt went to the bathroom to wash up.

 

“Well that went remarkably well, even if you were hurt dear.” Ingrid said as she fussed around Ty. They were all gathered in Mikes apartment above the bar.

 

“Yeah it could have been much worse, but we all made it back so you can relax Ingrid.” Ty said and accepted the shirt Stacey had brought him, it was a bit too tight to be Mikes though.

 

“This can’t be yours Mike, it must be one of Anders’.” Ty said as he slipped the shirt on, the soft well worn fabric like a gentle caress on his newly healed skin. “Speaking of Anders, where is he? He should have been here by now.” Ty said looking round the bar his hands playing with the hem of the shirt.

 

Axl snorted.

 

“Guess he drove straight home, the useless prick. Couldn’t even be bothered to check in on Ty.” Axl looked an odd mix of insulted and pleased as he said this, as if he’d been confirmed in something.

 

Ty frowned.

 

Something was up with Anders and Axl, he’d noticed Axl’s hostility in the car but he’d thought that was only adrenalin from the fight talking, now it seemed something deeper might be behind it.

 

Besides, just staying away when one of them was injured? That didn’t sound like Anders at all. As much as Anders would complain and whine about hospitals and sick people, he was usually the first one there if someone was hurt. True he would be taking the piss out of whoever was hurt or ill for getting so in the first place and complain how inconvenient it was but he would be there at least long enough to see for himself that everything was going to be fine. Then depending on how serious it was he may or may not stay away after, but he always made sure he knew for himself just what was going on. It was just how Anders cared without showing that was what he was doing.

 

Ty thought everyone knew that, but apparently his younger brother hadn’t figured that out yet, then again Axl was the only one of them who hadn’t been to the doctors enough as a kid that he’d had his ‘own’ chair or like Anders had been on a first name basis with every single person in the tiny hospital in Norsewood.

 

He was about to remark on this when Michele interrupted him.

 

“Well if the dwarf doesn’t want to come why make him? It’s not as if we’ll miss him, he did his job getting the money so let him slink back into his hole.” The tall goddess said as she stopped beside Mike for a second as she got on her coat. “Well I’m off to work, see you later.” She said as she grabbed her bag and left.

 

“Well if he got the money then he’s hardly useless now is he?” Ty defended his brother as the door closed behind Michele.

 

The others seemed to overhear this though.

 

Mike groaned and got up.

 

“God, I have to go see just what he did to get the money out and how much he got from that jerk.”

 

Ty looked around in confusion.

 

“Who?”

 

“How many jerks do we know? And Anders himself doesn’t count.” Mike said as he logged on to the pc standing on the desk in the corner of the room.

 

“Well....quite a lot actually.” Ty said and everyone had to agree that they really did.

 

“Okay I’ll give you that one.” Mike conceded and frowned as he taped something into the computer.

 

“Think rich jerk.” Olaf hinted and took a swing from his glass of Vodka.

 

“Well we only know one person who.... No, no tell me you didn’t go to Colin.” Ty begged.

 

“We had to bro, we couldn’t get the money out of the system fast enough to meet the deadline.” Axl said as he took a swing of his beer.

 

“The system?” Ty asked getting more and more confused by the second. “What system? And did Colin actually help?”

 

“Mike invested the money he won in stock dear.” Ingrid said as she fetched Ty a beer as well. “Exchanging stock for money can take time especially if you need the same amount back as you invested. And yes Colin did help to get the money.” She frowned as a thought occurred to her. “Though I don’t know exactly what he did or what he wanted for it, you’d have to ask your brother that.”

 

“The hell?” Mike said from where he was staring at the screen.

 

“What? Did he bankrupt ya?” Axl said halfway smiling at the thought that it would almost be nice if someone beside him was poor as a church mouse for once, even if that would leave him even more screwed for who would lend him money then? And how would he raid an empty fridge?

 

“No, no he didn’t. He almost didn’t touch it.”

 

“What?” Several of the others asked.

 

It was gratifying, Ty thought in a strange mimic of Axl’s earlier thoughts, to no longer be the only one confused.

 

“He almost didn’t touch the stocks. There can’t have been more than a few thousands worth made into cash.” Mike mumbled then a thought hit him and he tapped away on the keyboard.

 

“20.000.” He whispered as he looked at the numbers on the screen. “He managed to get just over 20.000 almost without selling anything.”

 

“Well that’s a lot yes, but we needed much more if you’ll remember.” Olaf pointed out.

 

“But they are still there Grandpa.” Mike said pointing to the screen. “He never transferred them anywhere...” Mike ran a hand through his hair. “He couldn’t have, I didn’t give him the codes.”

 

“Then how the hell did he get the money? No way did Colin just give him all that, no way.” Stacey pointed out.

 

No one had an answer to that one.

 

“I’m going to call Anders. I think we need a talk.” Mike said then got out his phone and dialled Anders’s number.

 

Mike’s frown didn’t get any smaller though when an automated message greeted him.

 

“Well?” Axl asked as Mike just looked at his phone as if it held some answer.

 

“All I got was a message telling me the number I was calling had either been disconnected or was out of reach.”

 

“Anders is glued to his phone so it’s hardly going to be disconnected.” Olaf pointed out looking proud to have made this connection.

 

“No, but where would he go that there weren’t any coverage?” Ty pointed out. He didn’t know about the others but he was getting a bad feeling right about now.

 

“I don’t know. I...” Mike began but was interrupted by a voice calling out from down stairs.

 

“Hello?”

 

Ty lit up.

 

“That’s Dawn. She’ll know where Anders is.” He said and got up, Mike and Olaf following him and everyone else just hanging around the top of the stairs hoping to get some information that way.

 

 

“Dawn, what a pleasant surprise, did Anders send you?” Ty asked as he came down the stairs.

 

“Ty, there you are.” Dawn said looking relived to see him. “Well both yes and no, Anders did sort of send me but not here, he send me to your house but no one was home and the boxes were all gone so I thought he’d gotten hold of you himself but I can see from you face that he hasn’t.” She finished as Ty only got a more confused look by the second.

 

“Ehh, no he hasn’t got a hold of me. In fact we were trying to get a hold of him but all we get is a disconnected message, would you know why that is? I mean I know Anders isn’t the best of bosses but you are his employee so he would tell you how to get in contact with him.” Ty explained.

 

“You mean you don’t know? I thought for sure he’d have told you.” Dawn said looking conflicted and sort of sad.

 

“Told us what?” Mike asked, by now he too was getting a bad feeling.

 

“Well, that he sold it.” Dawn said as if it was obvious.

 

“Sold what? His phone?” Ty asked.

 

“That too, but no that wasn’t what I meant. Oh you are getting me all confused, I though you knew, I was hoping you could have explained it to me.” She said and looked uncharacteristically close to tears.

 

“Dawn why don’t you sit down and Mike will get you a glass of water or would you like something stronger?” Ty said as he guided Dawn to a nearby chair.

 

Dawn shook her head.

 

“No, water is fine. I’d like that.” She managed and Mike quickly got her a glass and a bottle of water from behind the bar.

 

“Thank you.” Dawn said after she’d taken a long drink.

 

“Better?” Ty asked smiling at her.

 

Dawn smiled back and gave a little nod.

 

“Right then what was it you were talking about earlier? What you hoped we could explain?”

 

“I was hoping that you could explain why he sold it all.” Dawn said.

 

“What do you mean by ‘it all’?” Mike asked.

 

“Well it all, his phone, his apartment, the firm, everything.” Dawn explained.

 

“He, he sold the firm?” Ty said at the same time Mike said: “He sold his apartment?”

 

Dawn gave a sad little nod.

 

“Yes, he sold his firm to our main competition. They’ve been wanting to buy him out for years and they were always trying to steal our client’s but Anders wouldn’t sell, he enjoys being his own boss too much for that, and our clients are actually very loyal in spite of Anders weird way of doing business. But then two days ago he calls me up at work and tells me to get the papers for both the firm and his apartment from his safe and bring them to his lawyers, I didn’t even know he had one until then. He even tried to get me to bring the papers on the car so he could sell that but I reminded him it was leased so he couldn’t do that. And five hours later he calls me again asking me to do him one last favour: to get me to go to his apartment and pack up his cloths and personals for him. He’d sold everything, everything from the bed to carpet to the TV, even the glasses in the cupboards were to stay behind. The only thing he was taking was cloths and personals. ” Dawn said and gave a half smile. “And his fish of course. I have them in the car, they were the reason I dropped by here. I figured you had forgotten the fish when you got the rest so I wanted to bring then but then you weren’t home and well I ended up here.” Dawn said looking up and noticing just how stricken all three men looked.

 

“You, you really didn’t know.” She said.

 

“No, no we didn’t.” Ty said.

 

“But why would he be so desperate for money?” Dawn pressed. “I know I’m not family like you are, but I think I would have known if he was in need like that, it must have been very sudden because he’s been working like a dog just this last week to get the latest campaign out, was that why he wasn’t at work these last few days?” She asked, clearly very concerned for her...former employer.

 

“I...” Mike began but then didn’t know how to go on. Then decided on as much of the truth as he could give her, Dawn deserved that at least for being so loyal to his brother. His brother who had apparently been much more loyal to Ty that any of the rest of them had known, or than any of them had been for that matter.

 

“It’s probably my fault Dawn. I did something really stupid and Anders got me the money to get me out of it.” Mike said and Dawns eyes took on an accusing look. “I’ll do my bloody best to make it up to him though, I promise you that.” Mike swore, and he meant it too.

 

“Well, you better. You have no idea what that firm means to Anders.” She said then deflated a little. “Meant to Anders, it’s not his anymore.” She added in a small voice then emptied her glass and got up. “Well when you do find Anders tell him he owes me a drink after having to sort through his personals, actually make that several drinks. Now will you help me get the fish inside so you can take them home as well?” She said gesturing to the door.

 

“I’ll help you with the fish, but what do you mean ‘as well’? I haven’t got any of Anders stuff.” Ty said as he got up and followed her out to her car.

 

“Well all the boxes, they were in the apartment and I was to call you to pick them up he said he was staying at your place something about you owing him a favour?” Dawn said as she went to her car.

 

“Boy do I ever.” Ty mumbled under his breath as Dawn got the bowl that she’d used to transport the fish in. “But I don’t actually have any of his things, I’ve... been busy these last few days so I’ve not spoken to him or anything. And certainly not picked up any boxes.” Ty said.

 

Dawn frowned then asked what they were both thinking.

 

“But if you don’t have them...who does?”

 

 

*******

 

He stopped the car as close to the unconscious god as he dared with the ground still slowly crumbling, and then got out.

 

With a shake of the head and a muttering about how he should have worn something else today he gently picked up the unconscious god and rising carefully he carried him over to the car and laid him down on the back seat, strapping him in as well as he could. It was bloody lucky that Anders wasn’t any taller than he was or it would have been impossible for him to fit the back seat like he did.

 

The blond was even paler and more still than just a few minutes ago and he sighed as he failed to resist the temptation to brush a few errant hairs of the slack face before he closed the car door and got into the drivers seat.

 

He reversed and started to drive away, as he’d gone only a few meters he looked in the rear view mirror and catching sight of the three bodies still just lying there he squinted for a second and watched as they burst into clear and violent flames leaving no trace behind.

 

In the backseat Anders let out a near silent moan of pain as if in response to the power surge that just happened.

 

“I told you they didn’t deserve you.” Colin Gunderson remarked to the suffering god on his backseat as he drove away from the few traces of ashes dancing in the wind and the crumbling cliff face where the dirt and grass painted by Anders blood was slowly being claimed by the ocean.

 

******

 

Hope I managed to capture you?

Either way Kudos are most welcome and Comments are divine!

Cheers Aramir


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So turns out there were actually Three parts to this and not just 2. Sorry, I hope you can forgive me both for being slow(life I tell you life!) and for deceiving you on the number of chapters?  
> Anyway on with the show!

Michele was not in the best of moods when she arrived at work, first there had been all that business with the Johnsons and then she’d had to get her hands bloody when treating Ty, then someone had taken her parking space and once she finally got that sorted some idiot had emptied the coffee pot without setting a fresh pot to brew.

“Fucking inconsiderate arsehole.” She muttered as she poured water into the machine and slammed the lid shut. ‘She was a fucking doctor not a cafeteria worker.’

“Doctor Brock?”

Michele turned around to glare at whoever had just interrupted her internal hissy fit. 

The nurse took half a step back at her glare and even as she felt a surge of satisfaction at the reaction she tuned it down, she did have to work with these people and pissing of the nurses was never a good idea in the long run.

“Yes?” She answers in as nice a voice as she can manage, which is to say that she only sounds mildly irritated.

“There’s a woman here asked specifically for you, she’s in treatment room four.”

Michele raised an eyebrow at this since she’s not exactly known for her bedside manner and the only people who ask specifically for her are the gods and goddesses and since she just left them not half an hour ago....well it’s hardly likely to be one of them.

“I’ll be right there, thank you.” She said to the nurse and gave the coffee maker a withering glare as it started dripping fresh wonderful coffee into the pot the second she reached the door and had to leave. 

And she’d so needed a good caffeine kick too.

‘Whoever it is better have a damn good reason to keep her from her fix.’

******

When neither Dawn nor Ty could come up with a good answer to the question of who had taken the boxes with Anders belongings, they ended up with the conclusion that either they had been stolen, though that seemed unlikely since they had been inside the apartment waiting to be driven to Ty’s place, or Anders himself had taken them and failed to inform them of it. 

While the latter was logically the most likely answer it just didn’t sit right with either of them.

Firstly because Anders didn’t have a key to Ty’s place so how would he get the boxes in there? 

Secondly because he might be an arse at times but he would not do that without telling Dawn, especially not now.

And thirdly and maybe most importantly: He would Never have left the fish behind. They would have been the very first thing he’d made sure to take with him and both Dawn and Ty knew this.

“I’m really not happy about this, but I have to go. My new employer is coming over in an hour or so to take inventory of the office and I have to be there.” Dawn says as she fiddles with the strap of her bag. “But you will let me know what happened right? And have Anders get in contact with me when you see him okay?” She begged as Ty walked her out.

“Promise, and you ask him to get in contact with us too if you see him first right?” Ty said.

“I will. I might let him have a piece of my mind about all this first, but I’ll make him contact you.” Dawn said with a sad sort of half smile then left, the sound of the door closing behind her had an odd sound of finality about it.

 

Ty slowly walked back to the bar top where the tank with Anders fish was placed and Olaf stood nursing a beer.

Mike stood behind the bar his look caught somewhere between sullen and confused with just a hint of guilt in there as well.

Axl was slowly coming down from the top of the stairs from where he had no doubt been listening in to the conversation the others had had with Dawn.

He too wore an expression not unlike Mikes, and it was quite frankly pissing Ty of that none of them looked more guilty or concerned about Anders.

He was just about to remark on this when the door was once again opened, this time with a slam, and Michele burst in and brushed past Axl up the stairs without so much as a word for anyone.

About only a minute later she came right back down the stairs the stick bag over her shoulder.

“Michele? What’s going on where are you going?” Mike asked as he came round the bar and reached out for her.

“Not now Mike I’m in a hurry.” Was all the tall goddess said as she dashed out the door before even Ullr could catch her.

“Should we...” Axl began.

“Follow her? Oh I think so.” Mike said and made his way towards the door that Michele had exited bare minutes before. “Grandpa you better come along, Ty you hold down the fort in case Anders decides to show, Axl..”

“I’ll stay here and help Ty guard the bar.” Axl said already eying up the bottles behind the bar.

Mike sighed and rolled his eyes.

“Fine, just try to show some moderation in your intake this time.” Mike said and headed after Olaf who’d already gone to the car.

****

Almost half an hour later Mike and Olaf was sitting outside an almost mansion like house in the lush rolling hills of a decidedly posh neighbourhood.

They’d been sitting there nearly ten minutes before any of them broke the silence.

“What the hell could she be doing in there?” Mike asked.

“Well, she brought the stick so I’m guessing maybe someone is sick?” Olaf pointed out in that infuriatingly calm and logical tone of voice he used when he wanted to play the part of ‘al knowing oracle.’ 

“Well yeah grandpa, I’d guessed as much. But why would she come storming in like that? And who could it be since she wouldn’t just expose it to just anyone?”

“Ty.” Olaf said making Mike want to hit his head against the steering wheel. 

“Well yes she healed Ty but..”

“No, Ty.” Olaf said and pointed to the car that had just driven up and parked on the opposite side of the road.

Mike didn’t even get to say anything about that before both Ty and Axl too was exciting the other car and crossing the road.

He did get the first word in though when he rolled down the window so they could speak.

“What are you doing here? Better yet, how did you know where we were?”

“We didn’t know you went here, but let’s just say we weren’t surprised to see you here.” Ty said and shot the big house and it’s imposing iron gates a weary look.

“Why is that?” Olaf asked.

“Dawn called not ten minutes after you’d left. She’d gone back to the office like she’d said and found a currier waiting for her, he was there for the fish. Dawn naturally couldn’t hand them over since I had them, she managed to find out where he was supposed to take them though and once she had the address she looked it up and you’ll never guess just who send for them.” Ty said causing Mike to groan.

“Colin fucking Gunderson.” 

“Right, and if Michele is here with the stick...” Ty let the sentence hang there unfinished. 

“But I thought Michele was on our side now?” Axl said, clearly as quick on the uptake as ever.

“She is Axl, or at least she’s not against us anymore.” Mike said.

“Oh, okay.” Axl said though he didn’t sound fully assured, but then Michele had put an arrow in him once so who could blame him. Then he frowned. “But, but what would Colin want with Anders fish?”

Not for the first time Ty questioned why or rather how his kid brother could ever have become Odin the god of Wisdom. 

“I don’t think Colin wants Anders’ fish Axl, I think Anders wants his fish.” Olaf said.

“But..” Axl began only to be interrupted by Ty.

“Anders is in there with Colin Axl. And since he’d told Dawn he would be staying at my place it’s more than likely that Anders didn’t go here willingly. Now if you add the part where Michele goes here as well with Yggdrasil, which she would never give to Colin since she hates his guts... Do you see where I’m going with this?” Ty asked.

From the look on Axl’s face he wasn’t getting it all just yet. It wasn’t that Axl was stupid exactly, just that he sometimes, most times really, took a little longer seeing the actual point of things.

“So, Colin’s somehow ‘kidnapped’ Anders?” Axl tried getting a nod from Olaf. “And Michele is there because... because Anders is hurt?”

“That’s what I’m afraid of.” Ty said looking behind him at the house that might well hold his brother.

Mike closed his eyes for a second then gave a nod.

“Yeah Anders is in there alright. Come one let’s go get him.” Mike said as he got out the car and headed towards the house. 

“Does this mean we have to climb the gates?” Axl whispered eying the rather imposing and very unwelcoming iron monstrosities that held the part of gates. Olaf who was the only one to give any sort of answer only shrugged and kept walking as they all followed in Mike’s wake.

****

Turned out it wasn’t all that difficult to get to the other side of the gates.

No sooner had they reached the gates than they opened up in front of them revealing Var, the goddess of contracts, standing before them, as silent as ever but without that disturbing half smile she’d always worn in the past.

In fact Ty would say she looked more than slightly peeved about something. 

“We...” Olaf began but the goddess just levelled her stare on him and he shut up.

With a tilt of her head she motioned for them to follow her as she turned around and walked up the drive towards the house.

The gods looked at each other until Mike sighed resigned and not unlike Var had just done motioned for his brothers and grandfather to follow him as he followed Var.

 

They’d only just entered the house and turned the first corner from the main hall into a long corridor when Var’s phone beeped and she got it out, looked at it then motioned them on as she turned back down the way they’ve just come, leaving them to find their own way. 

Mike sighed but closed his eyes and did his Ullr thing.

“This way.” He said and they all followed dutifully.

 

The house was typical of what they had come to recognise as Colin’s taste.

Big open rooms, all white walls and marble floors, with sleek modern furniture and a fireplace in every room they passed through or caught a glimpse at. 

Aside from the dull sound of their shoes on the stone floor the house was eerily quiet, that along with the cold impersonal decor made the place seem utterly devoid of life. 

It reminded Axl of some abandoned space station or the likes from those old sci-fi horror flicks he used to get Anders to rent for him and Zeb, the ones that, without fail, would have them both sitting up in bed the entire night with their flashlights on just in case and have him begging to sleep in Anders room for a week straight. 

Axl was so caught up in this mental image that he nearly jumped out of his skin when a wail of pain sounded from somewhere deeper inside the house. 

“Anders!” Ty yelled and pushed past Mike in a burst of speed and rounded the corner running in the direction the scream had come from.

The end of the corridor Ty had turned onto split in two and for a moment he was uncertain which way he should go, but before Mike could call up Ullr to get the answer another muffled sound of pain reached them and Ty was off again in the direction the noise had originated from.

 

Turned out it was a rather elaborate kitchen.

The same white everywhere.

Or rather almost everywhere. 

Because the floor was spattered with red, as were some of the cupboards and drawers, bearing traces as if someone had gone through them in a frantic search for something their hands covered in red as they’d done so.

The largest splash of colour though was the pool of red underneath Anders as he lay face down on the kitchen isle the pool spilling over the edges dripping onto the white floor and spreading like some living thing along the floor at an alarming rate. 

 

“Anders.” Ty’s voice broke on the one word caught somewhere between a whisper of despair and a shout of anger.

His brother sluggishly and with seemingly great difficulty turned his head towards the sound and Ty caught a glimpse of pain filled eyes before Anders cried out again and closed his eyes, the act of turning his head seemed to be too much of a task for him to repeat.

Only then did Ty’s vision expand and he took in the sight of Michele sitting on Anders legs as she leaned over him with some metallic instrument that she seemed to be probing his back with. And Colin was standing at the end of the isle holding Anders arms tight and murmuring words Ty couldn’t hear to his brother.

“Did you....” Michele said and turned to the door that Ty had thrown open. “Oh it’s you.” She said once she saw the Johnsons in the door and turned back to what she was doing before they came in. “Hold him still damn it! This is difficult even with the right tools you know.” Michele growled at Colin and probed Anders again, and that’s when Ty understood she wasn’t just poking his brother with the metal instrument she was actually poking around his insides with it.

 

“What...what are you doing?” Axl asked, sounding slightly nauseous, and voicing what they were all thinking.

“Embroidery. What the hell does it look like I’m doing?” Michele snapped and the apologized, yes actually apologized to Anders when her temper had made her movement’s harsh. 

“Why don’t you just heal him?” Axl asked apparently not satisfied that Michele knew what she was doing if she didn’t just go for Yggdrasil when someone was hurt.

“Oh I could, I could close up this wound with little difficulty. But that would Not heal your brother.” She said and probed at a new angle which caused Anders to whimper rather pathetically. 

“Less talk more work.” Colin bit out from where he was crouched to be face to face with Anders.

Michele just glowered at him but did shut up and focused fully on her task.

 

For a few moments the room was silent except for Anders pant’s, gasps and whimpers.

The Johnson seemed frozen to the spot by the display before them.

Then Michele gave a triumphant cry as she pulled out what might actually be a pair of very fine steel food tweezers with a piece of metal clamped in their yaws. 

“Is that..?” Mike began as Michele jumped of Anders and the kitchen isle to get the stick from its bag.

Colin let go of Anders arms, picked up the object and threw it at Mike who caught it as he’d know he would.

“No point in healing him and leaving that inside.” He said and turned back to watch as Michele did her thing and sealed the hole in Anders back leaving the blond god panting faintly, eyes glazed over in disorientation. 

Ty pushed away from the others to get to his brother, kneeling down so he was eye level with him, but Anders just shut his eyes and wouldn’t respond to Ty’s questioning look. Ty sighed and squeezed one of Anders hands trying to get him to respond to that but Anders still didn’t move or make a sound.

 

Mike looked at the blood covered object in his hands.

A bullet.

A bullet Michele had just dug out of Anders.

Someone had shot his brother, someone had...

“He was shot?” Axl asked, always the first of them to point out the obvious.

The glare he received from both Michele and Colin mad him aware that he was on shaky ground.

“But who? Why?” He asked looking at Anders who still hadn’t opened his eyes again or moved to get up.

“How can you possibly be that blind?” Colin asked from where he was standing near Anders, seeming almost protective of the blond the way he hovered. 

Just then Var came up to them and pushed past the Johnsons still hovering in the doorway. 

She gave a nod to Colin who in turn gave one to Michele and then moved back to the kitchen isle bushing Ty away and with only a murmured word in Anders ear helped the blond roll to the side so he could get up. 

Not that Anders could actually stand, since he’d lost at least as much blood as he did when his neck was cut open if not more, but Colin didn’t seem fazed by this, he just moved Anders pliant limbs until he had him as he wanted him and then with surprising ease took the blond god in his arms and carried him bridal style past the stunned Johnsons with Var following close behind. 

 

Michele was the first of the other to move to follow the other three, the stick in its bag and the bag slung over her shoulder. Ty was almost as fast as her meaning that he was in front instead of Mike for once.

They ended up in a bedroom where Var was going through one of the many cardboard boxes placed along one wall looking for a change of clothes for Anders, and Michele was setting up what looked like an IV stand.

“So, it was you that took Anders things.” Ty said recognising the clothes Var was picking through as Anders.

Var merely gave him a look and kept going through the things until she found a pair of boxers and a pair of pyjamas. 

She motioned for the Johnsons to stay put when she herself got up and went through another door that opened up into a rather large bathroom where she put the clothes down beside the sink before exciting again. 

 

********

 

Inside the bathroom Colin was talking to a very distressed Anders.

“You don’t want to wear this thing to bed do you? They are all ruined and bloody.” Colin said holding up one side of Anders shirt Michele had cut all the way to the collar to get to his back.

Anders blinked and the shook his head minutely, which was about all he could manage with the small amount of blood still in his veins.

“Then let me help you get them off.” Colin said reaching for the buttons to get the front, but Anders mad a distressed little noise trying to move away but since he couldn’t actually stand on his own it was an attempt doomed to fail.

“I thought you wanted it off?” Colin said.

“Yes.” Anders said with a lot of effort, looking at the floor but once again moved back when Colin reached for the buttons.

At Colin’s questioning look Anders shook his head then looked up at Colin with big frightened eyes. “Not, not again pleas. Don’t want to.” He managed to get out and it was Colin’s turn to look at the floor. He looked almost ashamed.

“I wont, I wont touch you like that I promise.” He said and repeated it when Anders looked sceptical. “I promise.” 

Anders still looked far from comfortable but gave a little nod and this time he stayed put letting Colin begin to undress him. He did clench his eyes shut though when the older moved him to sit on the ledge of the large tub and began to was of the blood and grime with a sponge.

 

******

Meanwhile in the bedroom Michele had done what she could to prepare the blood and fluids for when Anders was ready, she really didn’t want to know how Colin had gotten hold of the blood and so quickly at that, so she now levelled her gaze at the remaining Johnsons. It was Not a happy look.

“So, so what happened?” Olaf dared to ask when it was clear that they would not be let into the bathroom and that Michele was quite ‘happy’ giving them all the evil stare.

“He was shot that’s what happened.” Michele said.

“But when was he shot? I mean not even Anders could have found someone armed to annoy that quickly.” Axl said, trying for humour to disguise how ill at ease seeing Anders suffering and bleeding like that had made him feel. 

“He was shot at the exchange.” Michele said.

“No he wasn’t. Ty was the one they shot at and the one that got hit.” Axl said certain that he was right.

“He pulled me down.” Ty said suddenly seeing the connection.

“What?” Mike asked looking up from the bullet he still held in his hand and which seemed to weigh an abnormal amount.

“Anders pulled me down and out of the way when they started to shoot. He must have gotten hit when he did so. He... he took a bullet for me.” Ty said mortified. “He took a bullet for me and none of us even saw he was injured.”

“He...no he...He was fine. He wasn’t shot, was he?” Axl said turning to Mike to get confirmation that they hadn’t really just driven off and left their brother bleeding. That he hadn’t thrown Anders around like so much cumbersome luggage when he had just been shot.

“I don’t know Axl. I didn’t see him get hit, but how else could it have happened?” Mike sounded far less certain than he usually did, which only served to point out that; yeah they might actually have left Anders to die on that beach.

Then Olaf, the worlds maybe most useless oracle, asked a very pertinent question: “How did Anders end up here of all places?”

“Seeing as he doesn’t have a place to live anymore, the hospital would ask silly questions and I was fairly certain neither of us would be welcome at your cosy little hole Mikkel, I felt this was by far the most appropriate place.” Colin answered as he came out from the bathroom once again carrying Anders, hair still wet from where Colin had rinsed out a bit of blood and a lot of sand, now dressed in the clean nightclothes Var had fund him but still far too weak and disorientated to walk on his own or even stand despite Michele’s use of Yggdrasil. 

“That still doesn’t answer how you knew he was in trouble in the first place.” Olaf quite rightfully pointed out.

“I’ll tell you all about it later, right now I have other priorities.” Colin said as he walked past them towards the bed.

All the Johnsons were more than a little uncomfortable with Colin anywhere near them let alone holding a near unconscious Anders far too close for comfort. None of them said anything though, agitating the god of fire was never a good idea, and certainly not when he had your brother, literally, in his grasp. Being quiet about it didn’t stop them from expressing their dissatisfaction though. Mike and Axl glowering, Olaf looking stern and disapproving and Ty...? Oddly enough Ty only looked uncomfortable, though one would thing he if any of them had reason to disapprove of and hate Colin, and yes Ty did not like Colin or this situation even one little bit, but neither could he dismiss that the god of fire had apparently been there for and saved his brother where everyone else had abandoned him. 

Colin placed Anders on the bed and Anders proved just how poorly he really was when he managed to drift off even as Michele hocked him up to the fluids and blood to help him get his dangerously low volume up.

Once that was done Var sat down on a chair beside the bed with a book obviously ready to sit watch by Anders until he woke again on his own, and Colin motioned them all out of the room so Anders could have peace. 

 

As the Johnsons followed Colin into the nearby sitting room Ty couldn’t help but think about the last time Anders had been hurt this severely, it made Ty feel even worse about this than he already did.

Where he and Olaf had laughed at Anders repeated fainting, admittedly for Ty it had been as much of relief that Anders was alive to fall on his face as the sheer comedic element, but still where they had laughed Colin had supported Anders and carried him when he couldn’t walk. 

Where they had let him get up despite them knowing better and watched him fall time and again, Colin had laid him down and made sure there were blood and fluids to make him strong enough to stand on his own as soon as possible.

Where they had simply more or less thrown him on his bed as he were and left, Colin had cleaned him changed his clothes and tucked him in. 

Ty did not claim to be a wise man, but he knew that when Colin Gunderson, who couldn’t even be civil to his own daughter, was more attentive and sensitive than you were to your brother than you were you should be fucking ashamed of yourself! 

And Ty was ashamed, very much so.

Even if he himself was the one least to blame in all this since he’d been kidnapped and shot himself and so had every reason to be preoccupied. But to Ty that still didn’t excuse him not seeing that Anders was hurt, or at the very least sensing that something wasn’t completely right.

Even if he had been able to or wanting to make excuses for himself the rest of them? The rest of them should have noticed, should have done something, should...should have cared. 

So though it was Olaf that had first asked the question it was Ty who pressed for answers.

 

“So how did you know Anders was in trouble?” He asked.

“Oh that’s simple, I saw.”

“You saw?” Mike asked incredulously, the finger of his right hand worrying at the bullet he couldn’t seem to put down. 

“Yes.”

“Well...how?”

“With my eyes naturally.” Colin said, unable to resist the obvious answer when he knew it was not what they were looking for. 

“I know you’re the god of mischief but could you maybe be serious about this? This is our brother we are talking about, and we take that very serious.” Mike said, knowing it wouldn’t be wise to be too openly hostile or ,gods forbid, threaten Colin outright but Mike was still unable to manage to keep his voice perfectly even meaning that just a hint of steel and anger slipped out with his words.

“Oh you do, do you?” Colin asked as he poured himself a glass of excellent whisky. Making a point of not offering any to his ‘guests’.

“We do.” Mike said and Axl made noises of agreement, both of them taking offence at Colin’s tone.

“Well do forgive my ignorance, I just assumed that you didn’t when you steam rolled over him and wouldn’t even let him finish a sentence when he called you about the money.” Colin said sipping his drink watching their faces, then continued. “And it certainly wasn’t visible at the cliff that’s for damn sure. The way you,” he pointed to Axl, “threw him around and then you, “pointing at Mike, “just drove of leaving him? And not one of you protested or even bothered to open your eyes and see?” Colin snorted and tossed down the last of his whisky. His voice carrying only a hint of the jovially teasing tone he usually spoke in, and the logs in the fireplace began to crack and pop as embers came to life seemingly on their own. “I thought you were all about family, you always bang on about it anyway, but apparently that’s only true when it’s convenient for you.” In the fireplace the embers morphed into flames. 

“Hey!” Axl exclaimed very much insulted, he could even feel Odin stirring a bit at that.

Colin however only seemed supremely unimpressed.

“Are you claiming otherwise?” 

“You damn straight I am.” Axl growled, both because he was angry but also to booster himself with confidence he didn’t really feel. 

“Oh? Well that warms my heart. Seeing you claim that you care for your brother and then blindly throwing him at my feet, trusting that I’ll be the kind and generous soul, that’ I’m know for being to him, when he’s totally in my power? And here I thought you didn’t like me.”

“I ...what? No I don’t I...I mean, I..I care about Anders.” Axl fumbled with the words clearly confused. “When did I give you power over him?”

“When you ordered him to do whatever it took you ordered him to pay my price and heed my demands. And you didn’t even bother to ask what those demands were...or actually even bother to hear if there were any. Very trusting of you I must say.” Colin said with that infuriating smirk of his firmly in place.

Behind him the fire blazed making the room hot and oppressive.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Comments are more precious than gold to me. Feel free to make me feel rich.


End file.
